


Second hand bookstores are so much nicer than retail, and I promise I'm not just saying that to impress you

by crabsthinkfishfly



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Lance has a crush on Keith, M/M, but hey neither does lance, even after the finale we still love voltron season 1, huh guess they're perfect for eachother, it's a bookstore au!!, keith doesn't know how to act around pretty boys, sorry I don't make the rules - Freeform, they have kind of a bonding moment at 2am, we love klance tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-10 01:59:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18929008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crabsthinkfishfly/pseuds/crabsthinkfishfly
Summary: Lance likes Keith, the cute guy who works at the bookstore. Only problem is, cute bookstore guy hates him. Or does he? Either way, Pidge will do everything in her power to help Lance get the cute guy. Whether Lance needs Pidge's help remains to be seen.





	Second hand bookstores are so much nicer than retail, and I promise I'm not just saying that to impress you

Lance had always loved second-hand book stores. There was something about the smells and the calmness. Retail bookstores were nice, but they were just so  _ hectic _ .

It might have had something to do with the cute worker ( _ Keith _ . Wasn’t that name so pretty? A bit outdated, but...  _ pretty _ .) who always hung out at the front. (And never looked at him.) Lance got the impression Keith hated him.

It had been an honest mistake. He hadn’t  _ meant _ to trek water through the bookstore. It was just that it had been raining and it was cold and he was anxious (and, and, and).

Keith had been at the front desk, fiddling with his nametag. He’d looked up, and the moment he and Lance locked eyes… Well. Lance had  _ hoped _ it’d be something of a meet-cute.

In reality, Keith just glared at him and looked back down at his nametag.

Yep, he was pretty sure Keith hated him.

Yeah, Keith was probably the main reason. Although, Pidge had forced him to come in - she worked with Keith, and Lance was insanely jealous.

Or relieved. After all, he was hopelessly infatuated with Keith, he wouldn’t be able to handle spending every day with him.

“Lance, Lance, Lance, Lance,” Pidge tugged at Lance’s arm impatiently. “Gotta go fast.”

Lance frowned, “Okay, first of all,  _ cursed _ . Second of all, I’m tired.”

“Yeah well, I gotta get to work or Keith’ll be mad.”

Lance cracked open his eyes, “Keith?”

Pidge smirked, “Mhm.”

“Right, gotta blast!”

“Lance,” Pidge called after him. “What are you doing?”

Lance appeared in the doorway, talking around his toothbrush, “Getting ready?”

“Oh. I assumed you’d just drop me off then go back to sleep.”

Lance shrugged, “I need more books.”

Pidge narrowed her eyes, “Whatever, hurry up.”

Lance shrugged on his denim jacket (the one with the pins and patches. Incidentally the same one he used to impress pretty boys) and ran to his car (technically his mom’s).

“So. Keith, huh? What about Allura?”

“I don’t know what You’re talking about. Besides, Allura likes Romelle and-”

“And Romelle likes Allura,” Pidge finished. “We know - they’re dumb. Not the point.”

“Hm, or, consider: changing the subject,” Lance said. He reached over Pidge to get one of his CDs. Queen of course. Killer Queen would drown out Pidge’s incessant questions perfectly.

Pidge, unfortunately, was smarter than Lance, and she simply turned down the volume. “If you want I can talk to him.”

“ _ No _ !” Lance shrieked. “Um, no. No thanks.”

Pidge stared at him, “I didn’t mean like  _ that _ . I just meant that I could talk to him and, like, I dunno, ask him about you. See what he thinks, you know?

Lance shrugged, “Or you could  _ not _ .”

Pidge threw the door open and leapt out, “You coming in? Or is baby Lance scared?”

“Baby Lance is incredibly scared, thanks.”

Pidge shrugged, “Not my problem. You’re coming in to talk to your crush and that’s the tea.”

Lance pouted and allowed himself to be dragged inside.

“Keithy boy! I’m back with that kid you hate.”

Keith turned around, his eyebrows raised in confusion, “Pretty sure  _ you  _ would be the last one to befriend anyone in my class.”

“No, no, no, I mean Lance. You know, the tall one.”

Keith stopped. His eyebrows were drawn in now. “No, you’re not. No. No, you’re really not. I refuse.”

Pidge grinned. A real shit-eating grin, “Huh. That’s not what you were saying yesterday.”

“Moving on!” Lance announced. “I’m gonna go browse. Pidge, will you help me?”

“Nah.”

“ _ Pidge _ . Please.”

Pidge frowned, “Fine, but only cause I know it’s to talk about Keith.”

Lance shot Keith an apologetic look before dragging Pidge away, “ _ Pidge _ ,” He whines.

“ _ Lance _ ,” Pidge whined back. “I’m trying to get you a date.”

“Maybe so but all that you’re  _ succeeding  _ in getting me is disappointment.”

Pidge wasn’t impressed if the look on her face was anything to go by. “Look, dude. He’s coming to that party at our place, that’s your chance.”

Lance was horrified, “He’s  _ what _ ? Why?”

“Well, he’s never been to a real proper party, Lance. Besides, it’s my house too  _ and  _ Hunk’s hosting it and he’s fine with it.”

Lance sighed, “ _ Fine _ .”

 

It’s not a ‘real proper party’. Real proper parties involve alcohol, lots of girls, and more people than just the seven of them.

They changed it up a bit sometimes, but it was usually just whatever movies took their fancy. Hunk had decided on Marvel movies, and no one disagreed. He always forced them to help him make cookies for some reason, but for some reason, it was always fun (probably because Hunk is an absolute legend).

There was a knock at the door, “I’ll get it!” Lance screamed over the noise of Pidge and Allura t-posing and shrieking at each other.

In true Lance fashion, Lance flung the door open with a shit-eating grin on his face. “Oh. Keith.”

Keith smiled, “Disappointed to see me?”

“No, no that’s not what I-  _ yes _ actually. I didn’t really think you’d come.”

Keith shrugged, “No one argues with Pidge when she’s quoting Sonic.”

Lance grinned, “Yeah, you weren’t around to see her dye her hair blue. She said it was to be closer to god, and Sonic.”

Keith shrugged, “Same thing, right?”

God, Lance loved Keith when he said things like that.  _ And  _ to make things worse, Keith was wearing stompy boots. (Sidenote, who the fuck had given Keith permission to paint his nails black?)

They’d meant to watch all of the Marvel movies in chronological order, but they only ended up watching all the Captain Americas. Because of Stucky, obviously.

And from there, well, everything had devolved to chaos. At midnight they had fallen to club penguin. At 1 am they had succumbed to the cookies and were eating on the kitchen floor. It had ended with Pidge and Keith having a cryptid fight where Pidge charged at Keith from the ground and Keith t-posed her. (Keith was terrified, he ended up running.)

And at 2 am, they had all become one - a cuddle pile on the couch while they watched Pingu. They were all losing their shit, but that might have been because they were sleep deprived.

Lance disentangled himself from Hunk ( _ reluctantly _ . Hunk gave great hugs) and crept into the kitchen to get some night water. He needed to restore his humanity.

“Lance?” Keith asked in disbelief.

Lance jumped, “Yeah that’s me.”

“Can I just say, what the fuck.”

Lance tilted his head to the side, “What?”

“You are a night cryptid. And I know this because I love cryptids.”

“Yeah well if I wasn’t so fearless I would have screamed.  _ You _ , sir, are the night cryptid.”

Keith grinned, “That’s the best compliment I’ve ever gotten.”

They smiled at each other under the hazy fairy lights. Things feel different. Magic. 

Or maybe it was just because they were smiling at each other softly in the near dark at 2 am.

Soft pattering feet only added to the feeling. At least, until Lance looked away and noticed Pidge’s grinning face, a camera in her hands.

Keith was frozen in fear and confusion - he clearly hadn’t been around to experience Pidge’s shipping antics.

Pidge extended her neck, attempting to establish dominance.

Lance extended his neck further.

Pidge stood on her toes, raising herself taller.

Lance did the same.

Pidge hopped on the kitchen counter, effectively raising herself above Lance.

“Um, what the fuck did I just witness?”

Pidge shrugged as if the answer should be obvious, “Me establishing dominance over Lance. And succeeding, I might add.”

Keith frowned and shook his head. It was wise not to question these things.

“Anyway, I just came out to tell you everyone else has gone to bed. And you should too if you’re not in the mood for wanting death in the morning,” Pidge said.

“Noted,” Keith said.

Pidge mock saluted and wandered off.

“So I should just sleep on the floor?” Keith asked.

Lance shrugged, “Or you could just sleep in my room. I can take the floor if you want,” He paused at the doorway of his room.

“So this is it?”

“Yep. I know it’s small, but I guess you’ll have to deal.”

Keith frowned, “You know, you can just take the bed. It’s your room and all.”

“No.”

“No, you,” Keith argued.

“No, you,” Lance replied.

“You know what,” Keith sighed, “This could go on forever. Why don’t we both sleep on the floor? Or better yet, not sleep at all.”

“Keith, buddy-”

“Yeah,” Keith conceded, “I heard it too.”

 

 Lance’s head was  _ killing  _ him. It was entirely his fault - he could have stopped talking to Keith at any time, but when your crush is  _ right there _ and is happy to talk to you  _ all night _ . Well. Lance wasn’t exactly going to pass that one up.

Keith had left before Lance had properly woken up, off to work or something. Pidge was gone too, but everyone else had stayed.

Probably because Hunk was making pancakes.

“Hunk, my dude! Can I get some pancakes to go? I’m gonna go hit up Pidge and all those books she spends so much time around.”

Hunk raised his eyebrows, “Is this about Keith? If yes, then yeah you can have some pancakes.”

Lance shrugged, “And if it’s not?”

Hunk’s expression darkened, “No pancakes for liars.”

Lance gaped, “But- Hunk- I-”

Hunk turned around and put some pancakes on a plate, “This is for ‘Lura. Maybe if you weren't lying to me you could have had some.”

“Fine!” Lance threw his hands up, “Fine. It is. God, it’s always Keith, isn’t it? He hates me, Hunk. Are you happy?”

Hunk shrugged, “If it makes you feel better you can have some pancakes now.”

Lance walked into the bookstore in silence, glowering  _ just a bit _ .

Keith glanced up and Lance could have sworn his face lit up, “Lance! I was wondering if you’d come in today.”

Lance smiled reluctantly (he still wasn’t ready to let this one go, but how could he not be happy when Keith was smiling at him like  _ that _ .)

Keith hesitated, before reaching behind the counter and bringing out a book, “I wasn’t sure if you’d read this or not, but I liked this book, and I figured that I’d,” Keith gestured helplessly, “Recommend it to you? I guess?”

Lance snatched the book from the counter, “John Green,” He mused, “Yeah no, I’ve only read An Abundance Of Katherines.”

Keith smiled shyly, “Well, I mean, I hope you like it. You can have it.”

“How much is it?” Lance asked, already rifling through his pockets.

“Oh no, no it’s fine. I already got it, but I, uh, I already have a copy.”

Lance tilted his head a bit to the side, (if he moved his head  _ just so _ , h might be able to see the reflection of the fairy lights in Keith’s eyes. He wished he could have stayed in that moment forever.) “Oh, well, thank you,” Lance stammered.

Keith grinned adorably and  _ fuck _ . Lance ran.

He lost himself in the bookshelves, doing what he had no idea. Probably looking for Pidge. Pidge, Pidge,  _ Pidge _ . She’d know what to do.

Pidge, in fact, did  _ not _ know what to do.

“I don’t know what to tell you, Lance,” Pidge said, pushing her glasses further up her nose, “Maybe Keith likes you, maybe he doesn’t. I don’t see him that much.”

Lance glared at her, “That doesn’t help.”

“Yeah, but you know what  _ does _ help? The fact that I gave Keith your phone number.”

Lance snapped his head back, “You  _ what _ ?”

“Yep, so, anyway, we’re closing. I gotta go lock up and stuff,” She waved her hand around, before pushing Lance out the door, “Gotta blast!”

Lance groaned and pulled his jacket tighter around his, unlocking his car.

His phone dinged, and he swore to god if it was Pidge-

But it wasn’t, thank god. Unknown number and all that. He sighed and unlocked his phone to read the message and-

He swore to god he would  _ kill  _ Pidge, and oh god, only if he didn’t die first.

It was Keith, and Keith had decided that it was within his rights to send Lance a wholesome meme. (It was within his rights but at the same time  _ how dare Keith be so adorable _ .)

Lance had no idea what to do, but oh god he was going to explode if he didn’t do  _ something. _

He plucked a book from his bookshelf and began writing just inside the front cover fervently. He was pretty sure people usually wrote notes on the inside of the front cover to people they were giving books to.

It didn’t matter. Either way, Lance was doing it.

He was rather proud of the message he had written, it said, “ _ Keith. This is oddly befitting given I met you at a bookstore, but I like you. A lot. Unrelated - wanna go get coffee sometime? _ ”

He’d consider getting Pidge to give it to him, but he wanted to give it to Keith in person. And oh  _ god  _ he was having second thoughts by the time he walked in the door.

Pidge disappeared out the back, and Lance was left alone, shaking like a  _ fucking  _ leaf.

“Hey there, my dude,” Lance said.

“Hey, Lance. Already got a book there, I see,” Keith said, nodding towards the book in Lance’s hands.

“Oh, yeah no, this is for you,” Lance said, sliding the book across the counter. “Anyway, I have somewhere to be-” Weak excuse, “-so text me or something.”

He was barely out the door when Keith texted him, he’d said, “ _ Coffee sounds nice.” _

Lance grinned to himself.

_ “Btw, what’s fitting?” _

_ “The fact that I confessed to you through… wait for it… a  _ book _ ” _

_ “Wow can you believe you’re gonna be the death of me?” _  
  


****  
  
  
  
  



End file.
